Re: [office] Formula subcommittee - olive branch?

[robert_weir@us.ibm.com]

"David A. Wheeler" <dwheeler@dwheeler.com>
wrote on 02/02/2006 09:48:15 PM:

> But I think we should put out an olive branch and TRY to make it
> possible to work together in the future, for as long it's practical
> to keep the window open:
> * Suggesting a liaison between the groups would make sense.
> * Perhaps we could maintain the formula spec as a physically
> separate document, at least for a while, so that they could
> reference it? I know of no reason why a spec can't have
> multiple volumes.

This is OASIS and our front door is always open <g>.

You can take a look at the OASIS Liaison Policy here:
 http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/liaison_policy.php

This appears to require someone to be an accredited
member of both TC's, able to attend meetings in both organizations, etc.
Is that what you are thinking of when you use the term "liaison"?
 

Unfortunately, in today's litigious world, I'm not
sure we can just informally sit down and talk with other organizations
and exchange pieces of specifications like we're trading baseball cards.
 Keeping ODF free and open to implementors and users requires that
we are vigilant as to where the material for the specification is coming
from, and that all contributors have signed on to the IPR policies, etc.
 Thus the policy.

So, since OASIS is (or soon will be)the home of OpenFormula,
I think the easiest and most direct way of getting the sharing to happen
would be for an ECMA TC45 member to join the Formula Subcommittee.  This
can be done with a few mouse clicks and a credit card, and you don't need
my or any one else's vote to make it happen.  
As you mentioned earlier, it is important to get the
word out that the subcommittee is forming.  Perhaps an informal olive
branch directly to TC45 would be well received?  There is no IPR issue
at all in letting them know that we're forming a formula subcommittee and
that we would welcome their participation.  Again, you don't need
anyone's approval on the TC to do that, but you would have my support.

-Rob